The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Ksa) has fined JOI Gaming Limited €400,000 for using role models in advertising JACK’S Racing Day.

Using role models in gambling advertisements for casinos, sports betting, or online gambling is prohibited to protect vulnerable target groups such as young adults.

Several role models were present advertising JACK’S Racing Day 2023. For example, role models signed caps featuring the JACK’S logo and brand name. Photos were also posted on the JACK’S Racing Day website and social media channels, showing role models posing with hostesses in company uniforms bearing the JACK’S logo. The Ksa previously imposed a penalty payment order on JOI, ordering it to remove these social posts immediately.

To protect vulnerable groups such as young people, strict rules apply to the use of role models in gambling advertising. Role models include celebrities, (former) professional footballers, or influencers. They can serve as role models of success, behavior, or a dream lifestyle for impressionable young adults. Therefore, the use of role models is prohibited in high-risk gambling, such as online gambling. For lower-risk gambling, such as lotteries, they may be used under strict conditions.